Latch means and support for ironing tables



Aug. 28, 1956 H. 1.. VOIGT ETAL 2,760,286

LATCH MEANS AND SUPPORT FOR IRONING TABLES Filed Jan. 2, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HERaERT L. VoIGT ATTQRNEY Aug. 28, 1956 H. L. VOIGT ETAL 2,760,236

LATCH MEANS AND SUPPORT FOR momma TABLES Filed Jan. 2, 195: 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HERBERT L. VoreT ATTORNEY JOSE H SICZKIE w/cz,Jn.

United States Patent LATCH h/EANS AND SUPPORT FOR RONING TABLES Herbert L. Voigt and Joseph Siczkiewicz, Jr., Milwaukee,

Wis, assignors to Gender, Paeschke & Frey C0., Mllwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 2, 1953, Serial No. 329,414

4 Claims. (Cl. 38121) This invention relates to improvements in ironing tables or the like having crossed supports, the upper end of one of the supports being slidably adjustable longitudinally of the table to effectuate an adjustment of the height thereof, and particularly to a mechanism for locking such upper end in adjusted position.

Mechanisms of this general type are disclosed and claimed in the co-pending applications of Joseph Siczkiewicz, Jr., and Herbert L. Voigt, Serial No. 170,203, filed June 24, 1950, now Patent No. 2,661,554, and Herbert L. Voigt and Joseph Siczkiewicz, Jr., Serial No. 182,903, filed September 2, 1950, now Patent No. 2,659,990, both for Support for ironing Tables. While these mechanisms are satisfactory, it is desirable to lower the cost of manufacture so that the adjustable height table will be no longer a luxury item. It has been found desirable to increase the rigidity of the engagement between the upper ends of the slidable supports and the table when locked in a selected setting and thereby resist lateral tipping of the table when ironing is being done near the edge thereof.

The object of this invention therefore is to provide an adjustable height ironing table which is relatively light, simple and safe to operate and adjust, inexpensive to manufacture, and suificiently rigid in all adjusted positions to resist tipping of the ironing table when in use.

This object is obtained by providing guides for the sliding end of the crossed supports and utilizing a rod pivotally carried by such sliding end engageable with such guides to maintain the sliding relationship and rotatable to swing a latch on such rod into and out of locking engagement. The other part of the locking mechanism consists of ratchets mounted close to the guides so that a definite engagement is made between the table and each leg of the sliding support. This lessens the number of elements needed in the device and materially lessens the cost. The ratchet has notches deep enough to engage the latch on opposite sides and resist both forward and rearward movement of the legs relative to the table. Since all legs are rigidly held the table will not tilt from side to side. A protector bar is provided at the wide end of the table and extends beyond the end of the supports in the folded position thereof. The bar will thus support the table in a vertical position with the supports free of the floor. This facilitates the maneuvering of the supports from open to collapsed position.

The novel features, which are considered characteristic of the invention, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an ironing table embodying the present invention, shown in an intermediate height position;

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2,760,286 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the table of Fig. 1 with the supports shown in collapsed position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the table tipped slightly from vertical position to disengage the automatic safety latch to permit the supports to be moved to collapsed position.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, the ironing table comprises'a top 10 of usual construction supported on crossed legs pivoted intermediate their ends. A pair of front legs 12 are spaced laterally as shown in Fig. 2 and each is constructed of seamed tubing having an oval cross section in the central part to increase resistance to bending under ironing pressure. The lower ends of the legs 12 are secured to a transverse foot 14 and the-upper ends are each pivoted between lugs 16 on the top 10 by a pivot 18 passing through the legs and supported in such lugs. The spacing of such upper ends is maintained by a spacer 20 on such pivot.

A pair of rear legs 22 constructed of seamed tubing have their lower ends secured to a transverse foot 24. The upper ends of these rear legs are provided with flats 26 laterally outwardly offset to provide a guide for such upper ends and a support for the rod of the locking mechanism. These upper ends are held properly spaced by a transverse brace 28 secured to each leg and extending therebetween. The front legs 12 and the rear legs 22 are pivoted together intermediate their ends by a pivot 30 mounted in the outer rear legs 22 and passing through openings in the front legs 12. It is advisable to space each front leg 12 from the adjacent rear leg 22 by fiber washers 32 mounted on the pivot 30. This prevents frictional sliding contact between the legs during the collapsing and opening thereof. A spacer 34 mounted on the pivot 30 keeps the front legs 12 properly spaced with respect to such washers and the rear legs 22.

To adjust the height of the table from the floor and to permit collapsing and opening of the supports, the upper ends of the rear legs 22 have movement longitudinally of the ironing table to selected spots. A feature of this invention is the relatively inexpensive mechanism for providing a guide and a rigid adjustable lock for such upper ends. This mechanism includes a pair of spaced guides 36 which are rigidly secured to the under side of the top 10. Each guide has a longitudinally extending slot 38 of a length greater than the overall travel of such upper ends. The guides are spaced so that each will provide outer lateral support for the flats 26. A rod 39 has spaced axially alined bearing portions 40 rotatably mounted in the flats 26 and extending through the slots 38 to restrain such upper ends to movement along the slots while permitting relative rotation of the legs 22 with respect to the top. It is advisable to provide fiber washers 42 on the bearing portions 40 placed between the guides 36 and the flats 26. This decreases the frictional resistance to the relative sliding between such legs and guides and lessens wear and noise.

In order that such rod 39 may also function as an element of the locking mechanism, it is provided with an axially offset portion forming a latch 44. This latch extends substantially the full distance between each of the flats 26 and is adapted to engage with each ratchet of the locking mechanism. The latch 44 is controlled by the rotation of the rod 39 under influence of a handle 46 projecting axially from such rod. The handle may be on an axial extension of such rod so that such handle will be conveniently close to the side of the ironing top 10. The handle 46 extends radialliy in the opposite direction from the latch 44 so that upward movement of such handle will cause downward movement of such latch. The latch 44 is continuously urged iii an upward direction by a coiled torsion spring 48' carried on' a bar 50-formed by notching out a slot in the brace 28. To insert the spring the bar 50 is sprung out of the plane of the brace and the coil of the spring slipped thereover. It is thereafter sprung back in place and a pad 52 spot welded to the bar and brace. One end of the spring 48 presses upwardly against the latch 44 and the other end of the spring presses upwardly against the brace 28 to continually urge the latch upwardly. I

The other part of the locking mechanism consists of two ratchets 54 provided with spaced downwardly opening notches 56. These. ratchets are positioned close to the flats 26 with the notches engageable with the latch 44. Two ratchets are used in order to provide a separate lock for each of the rear legs 22 near such legs. If a single centrally located ratchet is used the legs will have some movement particularly if pressure-is applied unevenly to one side of the top. To facilitate the assembly of the guides 36 and the ratchets 54, these elements may be a part of the same piece of formed sheet material. One ratchet is joined to one guide by a central bridge section which may be easily spot welded to a transversely extending brace 58 of the table top and to a transversely extending support 60 secured to the under side of the table top 10 to assemble the unit in place. The notches 56 are sufficiently deep so that the latch 44 when seated therein will have the substantially vertical sides of such notches on oppositesides thereof. In the locked or seated posi tion of the latch 44, its axis or center is positioned above and forwardly of the center or axis of rotation of the rod. Hence, when rearward (to the right as viewed) force is. applied to the tops of the rear legs 22, a component is developed which movesthe'latch 44 outwardly (downwardly) of the notch against the force of spring 48. With the latch 44 in any notch except the rearmost (right), the weight of the legs when the top 10 is lifted will be sufiicient to release the latch 44 without manual operation of the handle 46 and let the legs 22 slide toward the rear. A slight rearwardly downwardly sloping edge 62 may be provided between adjacent notches to facilitate such automatic upward adjustment of the table. Because of such relative position of the latch 44 with respect to the axis of rod bearing portions 40, force created as the result of ironing, will have a component acting to seat the latch 44 firmly in the bottom of the notches 56.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a protection bar having a floor rest 64 which in the collapsed position of the legs 12 and 22 (see Fig. 2) extends beyond the transverse foot 24 to support the ironing table in a vertical position with the legs free of contact with the floor. The bar may have an oifset portion 66 which accommodates the foot 24 to permit it to be swung closer to the under side of the top in the collapsed position. With this feature the user may easily open and close the legs while the table is supported in vertical position.

The type of locking mechanism herein described provides a ready support for an automatic safety stop which functions by gravity to limit the downward movement of the top in the adjustment thereof and prevents the table from droppingduring adjusting and injuring a person lowering the table; Suchstop consists of a fiat member 68 pivoted at 70 to one of the spaced guides 36 above the slot 38. This member has a. notch 72 which is adapted to engage one of the rod bearing portions 40 when held by a finger 74 in the position shown in Fig.5. When the table is raised to the position indicated in Fig. 7' the memher 68 will swing by gravity out of the path of such rod bearing portions 40' so that the legs may be fully collapsed. A guide 76 may be placed in overlapping relationship with the free end of the member 68 to prevent lateral swinging and consequent binding at the pivot 70.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an ironing table or the like having a top supported upon crossed supports consisting of a front leg member having an upper end pivoted to said top and rear legs positioned laterally outwardly on opposite sides of said front leg member in overlapping relation thereto and pivoted thereto intermediate the ends of said legs, said rear legs having spaced upper ends adapted to be slidably guided with respect to said top, a pair of spaced guides extending longitudinally of and. carried by said top adjacent said spaced upper ends, said guides having longitudinally extending slots with upper and lower straight sides, a rod extending transversely of said top and having spaced bearing portions rotatably carried in said upper ends and extending through said slots to be guided by said straight sides and a single latch intermediate said spaced bearing portions and offset therefrom, a pair of ratchets each fixedly positioned inwardly of said guides and above said upper straight sides in alinement with each of said spaced upper ends and extending longitudinally of said slots, said ratchets-having spaced notches therein adapted to receive a latch, said single latch engageable simultaneously with notches in both of said ratchets to provide a lock for each of said spaced upper ends, a transverse brace secured to said upper ends below said latch and ratchets, said brace having a spring supporting part, and a spring mounted on. said: part having one end thereof pressing against said latch and resiliently urging said single latch upwardly toward said notches.

2. An ironingtable or the like as claimed in claim 1 in which said single latch in the latched position thereof is ofiset forwardly of said spaced upper ends and the axis of said bearing portions and to one side of said slots.

3. An ironing table or the like as claimed in claim 2 in which said: rod has a handle offset longitudinally of said rod to'the outer side of one of said guides, and offset rearwardly of said spaced upper ends and the axis of said bearing portions to move said latch away from said notches as said handle is moved toward said top.

4. An ironing table or the like as claimed in claim 1 in which the outer ends of said rear legs have a floor rest secured thereto and in which a protection bar is carried by said top by legs secured to the under part of said top and extending beyond the end of said table and said floor rest in the collapsed position of said rear legs whereby said protection bar may support said table in a vertical position on the floor with said floor rest clear of the floor, the legs of said protection bar being offset to accommodate said floor rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,054 Knapp May 13, 1902 1,027,479 Hofiine May 28, 1912 1,226,987 Nichols May 22, 1917 2,213,803 Johannsen Sept. 3, 1940 2,293,807 De Brock Aug. 25, 1942 2,424,734 Booth July 29, 1947 2,609,627 Delf et al. Sept. 9, 1952 2,662,319 Hortman Dec. 15, 1953- 2,663,102 Olander Dec.- 22,. 1953 

